Evans' Cowan Does Surgery On Foes, Then Doctors Do Surgery On Cowan

As a supporting cast member of last year's state playoff-bound Orlando Evans boys' basketball team, Maurice Cowan helped to add the finishing touches to an already dominating squad.

Cowan's role in those days was mainly as a defensive specialist, helping senior Jimmy Kuhl, now a Stetson University starter, police the baseline and grab loose balls and rebounds. According to Coach Rudy Tapia, Cowan's team- oriented attitude was just the complement he needed to maintain a balance in the starting five.

But when he lost Kuhl -- the key to the Trojans' offensive punch -- to graduation, the big question in Tapia's mind was whether Cowan would be able to step in and play a bigger role. Cowan answered all of the questions and more last week in Evans' first two games of the new basketball season and, in the process, earned Orange Sentinel player of the week honors.

Cowan had to be good because a number of athletes performed well -- like basketballers Tina Pinkney of Winter Park, Orlando Edgewater's Scottie Miller and Eric Drakes and Orlando Oak Ridge's Vince Owens, and soccer players like Mary Rizza of Winter Park and Tim Geltz of Orlando Bishop Moore.

There's a special story to Cowan's success. He almost didn't have the opportunity to produce like he did. A planned hernia operation was supposed to curtail his effort. He was asked to take it easy by his doctor because of the sudden appearance of the hernia. Still, Cowan jumped right into his new role as a scorer with both feet.

He scored 27 points and was the leading scorer in a heart-breaking 72-70 overtime loss to powerful Port Orange Spruce Creek last Tuesday at Port Orange to open the season. Cowan hit 11 of 12 shots from the field and pulled down 9 rebounds to keep the Trojans in the game until the final seconds of overtime. Then on Thursday against Winter Haven, Cowan, a 6-foot-3 senior, lead Evans to its first victory of the season with a 20-point, 8-rebound night.

In the two games, Cowan scored 47 points, cleared 17 rebounds and added another 9 recoveries (loose balls, steals). He shot 78 percent from the floor and 84 percent from the free throw line to earn his honors as the first basketball player selected this season.

That's the good news. Now for the bad.

Cowan's hernia problems began showing two weeks ago, throwing a cloud over whether he would be able to see any action at all in the opening weeks of the season. After a consultation with doctors, his family and Tapia, it was decided that Cowan could play in the first two games if he put some sort of limitation of his activity.

But doctors said he definitely would have to undergo outpatient surgery to remove the hernia.

So Friday, Cowan went through the routine surgical procedure. Doctors were pleased it went as expected and Cowan, also a strong academic student, was back in school for classes Monday morning.

Now he must rest for the next two weeks, at which time doctors will give him the signal to begin light workouts. Then he will try to regain his spot in the Trojan lineup.

''Maurice shoots real quick around the bucket,'' Tapia said. ''He's not a flashy player, but he uses his body real well and is a heady kid.

''He knows his role has changed this year. It's all part of the senior leadership. He's going from a support role to a lead role. We'll set him up in the same situation as Kuhl last year.

''He'll be out now for at least three weeks. I just hope he can pick up where he left off. For us to be competitive, he has to carry the load. If this had to happen at all, this was the time, not tournament time.